Grease gun



May 13, 1952 E. P. SUNDHOLM GREASE GUN 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1946 INVHVTOR. Ezfwc'n P SzznJAgn y 1952 E. P. SUNDHOLM ,5 6, 47

GREASE GUN Filed Feb. 14, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I l l 24 INVENTOR.

BWZWMQKW Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED PATENT OFFICE ,ene sE GUN Edwin P. Sundholm, Albert City, Iowa, assignor to ur fiav qri E an eli -1+ h a rch lbert its-19w a eii Q I w entree-e $93??? Sam -4 6 3 .Cl ims- %?65-5) The present invention relates .to fluiddispensing guns (as, for instance, grease-guns). of the type which include a generally elongated cylindrical reservoir-barrel, a follower-piston in said barrel and a pull rod and handle connected with said piston, and a pump-head attached to the otherwise open end of the barrel, andwhich is adapted to be filled or loaded by detaching the pump-head and by sucking the grease or other fluid into the thus open end of the'barrcl by pulling the follower-piston back into the barrel (as, for instance, those of U. S.JPatents 1,377,023, 2,024,097, 2,124,077, 1,587,597, 1,692,423, 1,696,606. 1,619,126 1,894,274, 1,926,398 and 1,905,878 and others).

The present invention relates more particular- 1y to fluid dispensing guns, such as, for instance, grease guns of this type especially arranged for loading the reservoir-barrels ,thereoflby appncation to a gun-receiving socket .of a large container or gun-loading transfer-base bearing such container, and particularly for application to such gun-receiving socket havingtherein avalv'e to be opened when the fluid is to be. loaded into the reservoir-barrel applied .to .the socket.

The object of the present invention isto provide means carried by and associated with the reservoir-barrel of the gun, for automatically opening the valve of the socket or theval've associated with the socket when the reservoirbarrel is applied to the socket.

Other objects of the present invention will appear more fully from the following description and accompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred, although it is to be understood that ,the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited ,to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts: Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of a gun-loading transfer-baseand of the fragmentary lower portionof a pail or can adapted to be borne thereby andto cooperate therewith (with the can shown Just before it is applied to the base, and just before the, bottom of the can is cut out) and. with ,theinlet-end of the reservoir-barrel of the lln applied ,to the gun-receiving socket of; the base.

F ur r r s n a sim ar ,QI'O rS Qti ILa 2 view of a fragmentary portion of the .base and of the can with the bottom of the can cut out and locked to the base, and showing the reservoir-barrel of the gun detached from the gun receiving socket of the base.

Figure 3 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the entire assembly of base, can and reservoir-barrel of the gun applied to the gunreceiving socket of the base, to illustrate, in its entirety, oneform of gun-loading apparatus with which the gun of the present invention may be used.

In the accompanying drawings the letter C designatesingeneral, an original container, containing relatively viscous fluids suchas grease, printers ink, caulking compound or the like, while B represents the gun-loading transferbase which is adapted to receive and to perforate the bottom of the can or pail C, and which has a gun-receiving socket 3!] on its side; the latter being adapted to receive the screw-threaded end 38 of the reservoir-barrel 3'! of a greasegun "of the general typehere-in-above indicated.

The thin-walled original vendable merchandisi n g sheet-metal container, pail or can C may have a cylindrical side-wall I having its uppermost portion 2 flared outwardly slightly and having a lid or cover 3 secured to the upper flared andbeaded end thereof either by means of the .crimped tabs 4 or by any suitable means. The bottom 6, of the container C, is provided with a downwardly depending more or less cylindrical flange-like portion 7!, which telescopes into the lower end of the cylindrical body i" of the container C, to a greater or lesser extent,

depending' upon the axial length of flange 7, and issecu'red' thereto by an interlocking crimped sean'i 8. "The sheet-metal bottom 6, of the contain'er C, may have pressed into it, in a downward direction, an annular groove 9, to form afjdough-nut like ridge or annulus on the outside (or on the inside) of the bottom .6'; the outer surface 10 of which constitutes a seating-surface for making sealing-contact with an annular sealing-gasket or ring ll carried by the base 13. "I'lhe annulus 9 serves to center or guide the cutters or knives [3, during the cutting operati n, and serves also to stiffen and reinforce the center of the bottom 6 after it has been cut out.

A plurality (2, '3. or 4, more or less) of circulln ferentially distributed equidistant bayonet-lugs 14 may be pressed outwardly (or inwardly) from the. side-wall l of the container C, for interlockinglconnection with the bayonet grooves or 3 channels 51 and 6| in the upstanding flange 23 of the base B.

Within the container 0, near its upper end I thereof, is a follower 5, which is held to the lid 3, prior to its actual use, by means of the screw 93 or the like, and which is released from the lid 3 when the container is put into use on the base B.

The base B may be formed of three members |5, l6 and H, which may be interlocked by seams I3 and I9, so as to form a generally unitary construction, in which each member supports and gives rigidity to the other.

The upper and lower base-members l and it, respectively, are generally dish shaped and arranged with their transverse portions or bottoms in juxtaposition and in generally contiguous relation to each other, that is, with the bottom of the upper member l5 extending downwardly and with the bottom 2| of the lower member |B extending upwardly.

In the end-wall or bottom 25, a center aperture 25 is formed, and the material from the aperture 25 may be pressed or drawn upwardly to form a short upstanding tube-like cutter-supporting intake-flange or intake member 25, although this tube-like cutter-supporting intakeflange or intake member is preferably formed separately, as shown in the drawings, and spot-, welded or crimp-seamed to the aperture 25. The metal around the hole 25 may be pressed down in a downwardly eXtending annulus 21, forming an annular groove around the tube-like flange 25, for the reception and retention of the resilient and oil and grease-resistant packing-gasket or sealing-ring 1 From the partition-wall or bottom 2| of the lower base member l6, radial channel 28, of more or less U-shaped cross-section, is pressed, in a downward direction, from a point which includes the projected area of the hole 25 (and may also include the projected area of the annulus 21), which channel 28 extends laterally outwardly to the side-wall 24 of the member It, at one point, so as to form a fluid-conducting passageway or conduit in communication with the hole 29 which is ultimately formed in the bottom of the original container, pail or can C, within the annulus 9 thereof, outwardly to the gun-receiving socket 33 formed in or aflixed to the side of the member I1. From the more or less cylindrical member H, a circular flange 3| is drawn or pressed outwardly, in general alignment with the outer end of the passage-way or conduit 28, and preferably turned upwardly at a slight angle, so that the plane of its outer edge will be inclined upwardly slightly from the vertical. The circular center portion of the flang 3| is cut out, and the generally tubular flange 3| is thereafter crimped or flared outwardly as at 33, to overlap and interlock with the inturned flange 34 of the gun-receiving socket the crimped portion 33 of the tubulardrawn flange 3| serving also as a seat for the sealing gasket 35 against which the end 36 of the barrel or reservoir 31 of the grease-gun is adapted sealingly to bear, when its screw-threaded end 38 is screwed into the internally screw-threaded cylindrical portion of the gun-receiving socket 311.

The inner surface 33 of the fiat, transverse, portion may also serve as a valve-seat, against which a round shut-off valve 40 is adapted to seat in a direction of the arrow 4|, and from which it is unseated in the direction of the arrow 42. The shut-off valve 40 may be carried by a valve-stem or rod 43 which may be guided by other end of the valve-stem 43 carries an operat ing extension 41, which extends outwardly to a suitable distance from the plane of the sealinggasket 35 of the gun-receiving socket 30 of the base B.

The reservoirbarrel 3'! may be the reservoirbarrel of any grease-gun of the general type hereinabove indicated, or it may be the reservoir-barrel of any other type of grease-gun, or it may be the pump-cylinder of a pump adapted to dis pense viscous fluid, such as grease or the like, at relatively low pressure.

The barrel 31 is a generally cylindrical member, of any suitable length, as, for instance, a foot long, more or less, or it may be as much as two feet long, and has a piston 5| within it, which may be formed, as shown in the drawings, of two oppositely facing cup-shaped leather (or composition) washers I55 and IE3 held together, between metallic washers |01 and H38, carried by a central sleeve Hi9, through which the piston-rod 52 slidably extends; a pin or other locking means i H) carried by the rod 52 being adapted non-slidably to engage and to interlock with the sleeve |il9,by being pulled back into and turned into a bayonet-slot in the end of the sleeve, which slot is undercut for a quarter of a turn or a half a turn, more or less. The helical compression spring H2 is interposed between the piston 5| and the cap or end-wall H3 of the barrel, through which the piston-rod 52 slidably extends. The handle H4, or other means for pulling and otherwise operating the piston 5|, is Provided at the outer end of the rod 52.

The open end or loading-end of the barrel 31, namely, that end of the barrel through which the lubricant or other fluid is to be loaded into the barrel or pump-cylinder 31, is provided with a screw-threaded or other interlocking connection-means 38, and the end is preferably flared inwardly slightly as at 36, to form a gasket-engaging annular portion to co-act with the gasket 35 in the socket 30. V

A valve-depressor button or other valve-depressor means 43 is disposed within the open end of the barrel 31, generally in alignment with the end of the rod 41 in the socket 3B. The valvedepressor element 48 may be carried by a plurality of arms or spokes radiating therefrom, or what may generally be called a spider 49. V The ends of which arms or spokes 49 may be held in place in the open end of the barrel 31 by being spread out into an annular groove 55 formed in the inner surface of the outer end of the reservoir-barrel 31 of the grease-gun or of the pumpcylinder 31, or may be otherwise secured in the barrel 31, as, for instance, by butt-welding the ends of the spokes 49 as, for instance, by electrical-resistance heat or by resistance-welding to the inner side-wall of the barrel 31 by unbending the bowed portions of the spokes 49 to spread the ends thereof into firm contact withthe cylinder 31 while welding-current is connected across the spokes and barrel, or by spot-welding the ends of the spokes which have been previously bent parallel to the side-wall of the barrel 31.

Thus, when the barrel or pump-cylinder 31' is screwed into the socket 30, the valve-depressor button or center portion 48, intervening the spokes 49, presses the valve-extension or valveoperator 4'! inwardly so as to unseat the valve 40 and to permit the lubricant to be drawn out by the manual retraction of the piston 5| within the barrel or cylinder 31, by the manually operable retracting rod or piston rod 52, or by the suction of any other pump-piston (or by any other means exerting pressure on the grease in the can 0 or tending to make it how out through the socket 30).

Instead of a rod-carried valve 69, with rectilinear unseating motion, I may use a flappertype hinged or pivoted valve (not shown), pivoted at its top, for gravity-seating, or pivoted either at its top or bottom, or at its sides, and seated by any suitable valve-closing spring. In this latter case, a valve-operating means similar to the rod 47, and extending at suitable angle, may be amxed to the hinged valve, or the valvedepressor 49 may be extended and shaped to meet and depress the hinged valve.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a fluid-dispenser having a generally cylindrical thin-walled barrel with a smooth inner bore and exteriorly screwthreaded at one end detachably to engage a complementary screw-threaded gun-receiving socket on a fluid container, with a piston axially slidable in said barrel and with the socket surrounding an opening in the wall of the container and with a valve controlling the opening and a valve-element extending into the socket; a valve depressor at the screw-threaded end of said barrel so dimensioned whereby operatively to engage said valve-element in said socket and open said valve when the screw-thread end of said barrel is screwed into said socket, said d pressor supported within said barrel entirely between said screw-threaded end and said piston when said piston is in its position of farthest advance toward said screw-threaded end.

2. In combination with a fluid-dispenser having a generally cylindrical thin-walled barrel with a smooth inner bore and exteriorly screwthreaded at one end detachably to engage a complementary screw-threaded gun-receiving socket on a fluid container, with a piston axially slidable in said barrel and with the socket surrounding an opening in the wall of the container and with a valve controlling the opening and a valve-element extending into the socket; a valve depressor of relatively small axial dimension at the screw-threaded end of said barrel so dimensioned whereby operatively to engage said valve-element in said socket and open said valve when the screw-thread end of said barrel is screwed into said socket, said depressor supported within said barrel entirely between said screw-threaded end and said piston when said piston is in its position of farthest advance toward said screw-threaded end.

3. In combination with a fluid-dispenser hav ing a generally cylindrical thin-walled barrel with a smooth inner bore and exteriorly screwthreaded at one end detachably to engage a complementary screw-threaded gun-receiving socket on a fluid container, with a piston. axially slidable in said barrel and with the socket surrounding an opening in the wall of the container and with a valve controlling the opening and a valve-element extending into the socket; a valve depressor at the screw-threaded end of said barrel s0 dimensioned whereby operatively to engage said valve-element in said socket and open said valve when the screw-thread end of said barrel is screwed into said socket, said d pressor supported in a peripheral groove in the inner bore of said barrel entirely between said screw-threaded end and said piston when said piston is in its position of farthest advance toward said screw-threaded end.

EDWIN P. SUNDHOLM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,372,565 Skelly Mar. 22, 1921 1,377,023 Nelson May 3, 1921 1,534,913 Buck et al Apr. 21, 1925 1,587,597 Mac Lellan June 8, 1926 1,613,898 Metcalf et al. Jan. 11, 1927 1,619,126. I-Iundemer Mar. 1, 1927 1,692,423 Shere Nov. 20, 1928 1,696,606 Hundemer Dec. 25, 1928 1,807,586 Carlson June 2, 1931 1,867,468 Penka July 12, 1932 1,894,274 Jacques Jan. 17, 1933 1,905,878 Albertine Apr. 25, 1933 1,926,398 Nielsen Sept. 12, 1933 2,024,097 Harris Dec. 10, 1935 2,124,077 Ostendorf July 19, 1938 2,168,396 Davis Aug. 8, 1939 2,268,592 Hothersall Jan. 6, 1942 2,305,841 Carlson Dec. 22, 1942 2,328,363 Sundholm Aug. 31, 1943 2,336,457 Augensen Dec. 14, 1943 

